Rack



United States Patent O 3,266,632 RACK Louis Maslow, Huntsville Road, Dallas, Pa. Filed June 3, 1964, Ser. No. 372,334 7 Claims. (Cl. Z11-41) The present invention relates generally -to plastic racks `of the type employed for holding a group of articles such as dishes, cutlery, glassware and trays for use in connection with washing, rinsing and drying machines, this application being a continuation-impart 'of my application Serial No. 284,045, filed May 29, 1963, now Patent No. 3,217,890.

Automatic washing machines of the type with which there are used racks of the type to which the present invention is directed, are provided with curtains or deflectors at the entrance openings thereof through which the loaded rack is inserted into the washing machines. Where an article in the rack extends more than a predetermined distance above the rack, the article may be struck by the curtain or deflector and thereby inadvertently dellected or thrown from the rack in which it is loaded, This is especially true in the case where trays are loaded into the rack for washing in the washing machine `since trays are relatively large objects when compared with dishes or glasses which may be loaded in the racks. The curtain or deflector of the washing machine is in the path of movement of the tray so that the tray may be thrown from the rack. In addition, it is also possible for a tray to be thrown or dislodged `from a rack already in a washing machine by the force of the jets or sprays of water within the machine being used to wash the contents of the rack.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention vto obviate the foregoing disadvantages yof pri-or art racks.

In this connection, it is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a rack having means to prevent a tray or the like from being inadvertently dislodged fr-om the rack.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rack formed of plastic material which has molded therein 4abutment or molding devices to prevent the inadvertent dislodgment of trays carried by the rack.

Other and further objects and advantages Iof the present invention will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a consider-ation of the following specification taken in connection with the appended drawing.

In the drawing, which illustrates the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention: FIG- URE l is ,a side elevation view of a rack pursuant to the present invention, with portions broken ,away for purposes of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the rack taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 with parts being broken away for the purposes of illust-ration;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2, the 'rack being shown with articles to be washed or stored therein; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a tray of the type which can be loaded into the rack of the preent invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there istshown a rack assembly pursuant to the present invention. The rack assembly 10 is of the general type illustrated and described in my prior application Serial No. 284,045, 'filed May 29, 1963, this application being a continuationin-part thereof.

The rack assembly 10 comprises a two-part housing 12 having an upper housing pant 14 and a lower housing part 16. Said housing parts are each preferably Patented August 16, 1966 ICC molded as a single unit from a suitable plastic such as polypropylene and the lower or bottom housing part 16 is provided with an open metallic indexing framework 18 at the bott-om thereof.

The lower housing part 16 is essentially an open molded frame of essentially rectangular construction having the integral opposing end walls 20 and 22 vand the integral opposing side walls 24 and 26, the end and side walls merging into each other to form the four corners 28. At the bottom of said end and side walls there is formed a continuous inwardly-directed flange 30 in which there is defined a plurality of apertures or slots 32. Along the upper marginal edge thereof, said end and side walls are provided with open recessed portions 34. Extending between the opposing end Walls 20 and 22 thereof, the lower housing part 16 is provided with the transverse integral baliies 36 which are provided with notches 38 thereby delining anchoring formations. Similarly, as best seen in FIG. 3, transverse bailles 40 are provided between the opposing side walls 24 and 26 and the baffles 40' are also provided with notches 42 thereby defining anchoring formations. It will be readily apparent that the baffles 36 and 40 are in intersecting relation so as to define substantially rectangular pockets 44, as best seen in FIG. 2. At the intersectional cross-points of the baffles 36 and 40,

lthere are formed preferably hollow conical fingers 46 which taper upwardly and inwardly to a free, open end 48. It will be understood that the end walls, the side rwalls, the intersecting baffles and the cones of the lower housing part 16 are all molded in integral relation so as to form a single molded plastic part. It will be noted that t-he notches 4Z are disposed in spaced relation around the circumference of the base of the conical fingers 46. The arrangement therefore permits the rack assembly to be used as an all-purpose device, particularly if the upper housing part 14 or the transversely-extending ribs 78 thereof are removed. Under such conditions, dishes may be disposed in all directions about the cones and the rack assembly may be used for any type of dishes, glasses, cups, trays or similar utensils. At the inner surfaces thereof, adjacent the upper marginal ends thereof, the end walls 20422 and the side walls 24-26 of the lower Vhousing part 16 are provided with upwardly-extending strips or tongues 50 which `may be integral therewith or which may be suitably secured thereto. In this connection, -it will be understood that the upper housing part 14 is provided with complementary recesses into which the tongues 50 are received for assembling the upper housing part with the lower housing part.

The lower housing part is provided with a previously mentioned metallic index framework 18 which serves as a guide for moving the tray through the automatic washing machines or the like. It will be understood that the tray need not be provided with any index framework except when used in connection with equipment requiring the same. When thus required, the index frameworks may be used singly or in combination. As here shown, the metallic guide indexing framework 18 comprises an inner rectangular wire member -52 and an outer rectangular wire member 54. Said rectangular wire members are secured together in the ldisposition thereof illustrated in FIG. 2 by means of metallic straps 56 which extend therebetween and which are suitably secured thereto as by welding or the like. The 'straps S6 are also utilized to secure the assembled rectangular wire members 52 and 54 to the lower housing part 16. For this purpose, each strap 56 is provided with a hooked end 64 which is engaged in 'a previously ident-ied recess 32.

The upper housing part 14 is also an open framework rectangular member having -the opposing end walls 70 and 72 and the opposing side walls 74 and 76, all of which are in integral relation being similarly molded of `a plastic material such as polypropylene. Between the opposing end walls 70 and 72 thereof, the upper housing part 14 is provided with a plurality of the previously identified transversely-extending ribs 78 which are provided with the apertures 80 whch are defined therein. It will be understood that the ribs 78 are integral with the walls of the upper housing part, the entire assembly being formed by a molding operation. The end and side walls of the upper housing part are also provided with the previously mentioned slots or recesses which are open at the lower marginal edges of the walls and which extend upwardly into the walls to receive the previously mentioned fingers S0. Said recesses are generally indicated by the reference numeral 82 in FIG. 3.

In assembling the upper housing part to the lower housing part, it will be understood that the apertures 80 are of complementary configuration with and are adapted to receive the free ends 48 of the cones 46. The recesses 82 are adapted to receive the projecting strips or tongues 50. In order to eect the securement of the upper housing part to the lower housing part, the housing parts are assembled so that the strips or tongues 50 are received in the recesses 82 and the free upper end portions 48 of the cones 46 which are aligned with the ribs 78 are received in the apertures 80 in said ribs. The straps or `tongues 50 are secured in the recesses 82 by any suitable means, for example by riveting, welding or heat-sealing, and the free ends 48 of the cones are secured in the aligned apertures 80 by upsetting the open free end portions 48 over the portions of the ribs 78 which define the associated apertures 80 as fully illustrated and described in the previously identified co-pending application. In this manner the upper housing part is secured in assembled relation to the lower housing part which, in turn, is provided with the metallic gridwork assembly 18.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the overlying ribs 78 are in registry with certain of the transverse baffles 36 so as not to impede entry into or access to the pockets 44 through the upper housing part. The open pockets 44 are adapted to receive various articles which may be placed therein for washing and drying purposes, such as the plates 86, as best shown in FIG. 3, and cups which may also be disposed within the pockets. It will be noted that the circumferential edges of the plates are conveniently engaged in the recesses or notches 42 in the baffles which define the associated pocket. The notch arrangement prevents a plate or the like, when disposed therein, from slipping out of position. This slippage would permit the plates to be flipped against each other with consequent damage. The notches thus serve to effectively locate -and maintain plates or the like in the same position as when initially inserted. The plates are thus maintained in uniform relation with each other and accidental contact between adjacent plates is pre-vented, thereby eliminating the possibility of their chipping or breaking. The angular inclination of the plates remains constant. This remains true even when the ribs 78 are eliminated. Moreover, cups may be conveniently mounted on the previously described cones 46 in inverted relation, as best shown in the previously identified co-pending application, so that the cups face the direction of the bottom of the tray. It will be understood that as a result of the open top, bottom and sides of the rack assembly 10, water may be sprayed upwardly from the bottom of the rack assembly as Well as downwardly from the top thereof and air circulation is promoted through the wall openings 34 and the bottom slots to efciently wash, rinse and dry the contents of the rack assembly.

Pursuant to a highly novel feature of the present invention, provision is made to conveniently mount trays =84 in the rack assembly 10. As here shown, the trays 84 are of the type which may -be used to carry cups, plates, glasses or the like. Such trays, as is well known in the art, are much larger than the plates 86, as will be readily apparent from FIG. 3. Consequently, when the trays 84 are inserted in the rack assembly 10, they normally project a substantial distance above the upper housing part 14. This tended to restrict the use of prior rack assemblies for washing and drying trays 84. This is due to the fact that when such rack assemblies are utilized with conventional automatic dish-washing machines, the curtain or deflector provided on such dish-washing machines would Ibe in the path of movement of the mounted tray into the dish-washing machine, with the result that the tray would be knocked over and possibly knocked from the rack assembly. This result also frequently could occur as a result of the force with which the water or jets in the washing machine struck the tray. However, pursuant to the present invention, this disadvantage of the prior ar-t is eliminated so that trays 84 may be conveniently mounted in rack assembly 10 without the possibility of said trays being knocked over from or into the rack assemblies by the curtain or deflectors of the washing machines or by the force of the water jets therein. F or this purpose, the -opposing end walls 24 and 26 of the lower housing part 1-6 are provided with inwardly-deflected portions or hooks 86. Such inwardly-defiected portions are conveniently formed during the molding of the bottom housing part 16. As best shown in FIG. 3, the hooks 86 extend inwardly into the bottom housing part 16 a sufficient distance so that the curled-up marginal edge portion 88 of the tray 84 may be engaged thereunder. As here shown, it will be noted that each of the side walls 24 and 26 is provided with a pair of laterally-spaced, inwardly-directed hooked portions 86. Consequently, it will be apparent that a tray 84 may conveniently be disposed within the rack assembly 10 inwardly of each of the opposing walls 24 and 26 so that the bottom curled edge 88 of the tray 84 inwardly of the adjacent Wall of the lower housing part 16 may be retained in engaged position by a pair of the associated inwardly-directed wall portions 86. More specifically, and as best shown in FIG. 3, the tray 84 is inserted from the upper side of the rack assembly in an inclined position so as to engage the lower, curled-up edge 88 thereof underneath a pair of hooks 86 and the tray is conveniently inclined so that the base wall 90 thereof will be disposed on, or will rest on, a plurality of laterally-spaced cones 46 adjacent the associated wall of the lower housing part. Consequently, it will be apparent that the tray will be securely releasably locked in position in the housing assembly so as to prevent the inadvertent defiection or disengagement thereof by the curtain or defiector of the washing machine or by the jet sprays within the Washing machine.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the rack assembly of the present invention without, however, departing from the basic inventive concept thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rack assembly comprising molded housing means having opposing side walls and opposing end walls, baffles extending between said side and end Walls integral formations defined in said housing means and extending upwardly from said baffles in a first series of rows parallel to said side walls and a second series of rows parallel to said end walls, one of said walls having inwardly deflected portions which cooperate with the adjacent parallel row of said formations releasably to mount and lock a tray in inclined disposition therebetween.

2. A rack assembly comprising molded housing means having opposing side walls and opposing end walls, bafiies extending between said side and end walls integral formations defined in said housing means and extending upwardly from said bafiies in a first series of rows parallel to said side walls and a second series of rows parallel to said end walls, each wall of one of said pairs of opposing walls having inwardly directed hooks which cooperate with an adjacent parallel row of said formations to releasably mount and lock a tray in inclined disposition therebetween.

3. A rack assembly comprising a pair of molded housing parts secured together to define a housing assembly, a lower one of said housing par-ts having opposing side walls and -opposing end walls, a first series of spaced parallel baffles extending between said side walls, a second series of spaced parallel batlles extending between said end walls in intersecting relation with said fir-st series of bales, integral formations extending upwardly from the points of intersecting of said baiiles, an upper one of said housing parts having -opposing side walls and opposing end Walls in marginal peripheral abutment with respective associated walls of said lower housing part, and one of the walls of said lower housing part being provided with inwardly deflected means for engagement with the lower marginal edge of a tray seated in said assembly and disposed in inclined relation on a plurality of said formations extending in parallel relation to said one wall.

4. A rack assembly comprising a pair of molded housing parts secured together to define a housing assembly, a lower one of said housing parts having opposing side walls and opposing end walls, a first series of spaced parallel baiiles extending between said side walls, a second series of spaced parallel bafes extending between said end walls in intersecting relation with said iirst series of bales, integral formations extending upwardly from the points of intersection of said baffles, an upper one of said housing parts having opposing side walls and opposing end walls in marginal peripheral abutment with respective associated walls of said lower housing part, and each of the walls of one pair of said lower housing part walls being provided with inwardly deflected means for engagement with the lower marginal edge of a tray Iseated in said assembly and disposed in inclined relation on a plurality of said formations extending in parallel relation to the associated wall of said one pair.

5. A rack assembly consituted by a molded open frame housing having means for retaining articles in tilted disposition therein, said means comprising anchoring formations adapted to be engaged by a marginal edge portion of the article and raised integral formations on which the article can rest while so engaged, said anchoring formations defining recesses disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about the base of said raised formations whereby articles may be selectively disposed to restin different directions.

t5. A -rack assembly constituted by a molded open frame housing having opposing side Walls and opposing end walls, baffles disposed between the walls of said housing, said bales being disposed in intersecting relation, integral formations extending upwardly from the point of intersection of said baffles, said baffles being provided with notch portions adjacent the =base of said integral formations, the notch portions being disposed in spaced relation about the base of said projections whereby an article can be disposed in different directions about the projections and is retained in inclined position by the engagement of the circumferential edge thereof with a notch portion.

7. A rack assembly comprising molded housing means having opposing side walls and opposin-g end walls, bailes extending between said side and end walls integral formations defined in said housing means and extending upwardly from said baffles at spaced intervals between one pair of side walls, and one wall of the other pair of said walls having inwardly deected portions which cooperate with adjacent formations releasably to mount and lock an article in inclined disposition therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1959 FOX 134--72 7/1964 Ettlinger 211-41 

1. A RACK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING MOLDED HOUSING MEANS HAVING OPPOSING SIDE WALLS AND OPPOSING END WALLS, BAFFLES EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE AND END WALLS INTEGRAL FORMATIONS DEFINED IN SAID HOUSING MEANS AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BAFFLES IN A FIRST SERIES OF ROWS PARALLEL TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND A SECOND SERIES OF ROWS PARALLEL TO SAID END WALLS, ONE OF SAID WALLS HAVING INWARDLY DEFLECTED PORTIONS WHICH COOPERATE WITH THE ADJACENT PARALLEL ROW OF SAID FORMATIONS RELEASABLY TO MOUNT AND LOCK A TRAY IN INCLINED DISPOSITION THEREBETWEEN. 